


Circuses and Bread

by andprosper



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-03
Updated: 2014-03-01
Packaged: 2017-10-26 19:32:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/287059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andprosper/pseuds/andprosper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mirrorverse isn’t at all like our reality. But it is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Circuses and Bread

“Engage,” the captain said as he, Spock, and Doctor McCoy beamed down to the planet known as 892-IV. They had discovered the empty wreckage of a merchant ship that had been missing for six years. The ship had been carrying precious goods and they’d received orders to retrieve anything that might have survived. Spock looked around the slightly barren, rocky landscape, as the captain turned on him.

“Where the hell did you send us, Mr. Spock?”

“Somewhere practical, captain. It is close to the city we located, but not populated. We should not be observed.” This seemed to mollify the captain, and he turned from his First Officer, rushing down the steep, rocky hill. “The atmosphere here is –”

“Save it, Mr. Spock. Are you detecting any residue from the ship? Any precious metals? Dilithium crystals?”

“Nothing yet, captain, but I will continue scanning.”

The captain’s cheek twitched, alerting Spock that he was agitated and began walking at a brisk pace away from the group towards another hill. Spock did not comment on the lack of thought and deduction that went into choosing that particular direction, but he did notice something on his scanner. “Captain.”

“What is it, Spock?” The captain snapped back at him, coming to a full halt.

“I’m picking up life signs just beyond those hills.”

“You said this place was unpopulated! You-” The rest of his sentence was cut off by a gunshot that barely missed the captain’s feet. The captain yanked his phaser from his side and shot at the hillside – there was an agonized cry and a man fell down the hill face. “What a terrible shot,” he said smugly and shot again when another man appeared from behind a rock. This man also fell and two began to run, both Spock and Kirk shot these two men easily. “Ah, that was fun,” Kirk said with a smirk just teasing his handsome features.

The sounds of gunshots had apparently drawn more people to the group, however this time, it was a machine gun that shot at them. “Halt, or we’ll put the next round in your chest.”

The captain, of course, shot at them, but they dodged his attack and shot the captain in the arm.

“Son of a bitch!” He exclaimed and Doctor McCoy’s gaze slowly turned to the injury, as if it were no cause for alarm. Without speaking, he pulled the dermal regenerator from his medical kit as the men with the guns rushed down on them. The doctor shoved his fingers into Kirk’s wound and pulled out the bullet, while the captain hissed angrily. He sealed up the wound with the regenerator just as the guards grabbed them. The doctor was silent and nonchalant, handing the captain the bullet and wiping the blood from his fingers onto his shirt. The captain gripped the bullet angrily as they were shoved along.

“Spock, why didn’t you shoot?”

“You gave me no order to do so.”

“You don’t need orders to shoot the people who’ve shot your captain!”

“Perhaps, captain, following these men could lead us to the ship’s cargo,” Spock offered logically.

“Or to a jail cell!” The captain snapped, but did seem to consider the men around them. “But they would lead us to civilization at least. It could be that they have already collected the crystals.”

The captain remained acquiescent as he was led to a town. “Fascinating,” Spock murmured as he observed the buildings. “It seems to be technologically adjacent to 20th century Earth, however, the influences are distinctly and only Roman. Perhaps, captain, we are seeing –”

“Would you can it, Spock? You’re giving me a headache.”

Spock pressed his lips together as he raised his eyebrow at the captain. He spoke no further as they were led to a dungeon, though it seemed primitive enough to escape from. Their phasers, having been identified as weapons, as well as their communicators and daggers were confiscated. They were stripped down and put in formless gray garments before being shoved into a cell.

The captain paced the length of the room in an agitated manner, while Doctor McCoy sat down and leaned against the cold stone wall, staring blankly ahead. Spock immediately turned to the door, looking for signs of weakness in the construction.

In only a short time, the guards returned. “Come with us, the first citizen wishes to see you,” they opened the door, clearly not expecting much of a threat from the men. It was clear what was on the captain’s mind and in an instant, Spock had nerve pinched one of the guards and Kirk had subdued another. The third had gone after McCoy, who ducked out of the way as the captain shoved one of the swords of the other guards into his back. They rushed through the cell doors and into the hallway, but the clicking of guns alerted them to several more guards rushing into the hallway.

“I’m afraid it’s not that easy,” said a man dressed in gaudy orange clothes. “We’ve been handling slaves here for two thousand years.”

“But it was exciting,” said a man dressed in flashy purple, a predatory look in his eyes that was not apparent in the smug-looking man beside him. “They’d do well in the arena.”

“I don’t know what the arena is, but I’ll have no part of it,” the captain snapped, clearly noting the look in his eyes. He turned to the man in orange. “Merik, I believe I know you.”

“And I you, captain,” there seemed to be a swirl of emotion in Merik’s face, a fear of the man before him that defied the strong stance he was taking, clearly feeling secure in having a position of power above the captain. “This is our proconsul, Claudius Marcus.”

“This is hardly the place for a reunion,” Claudius Marcus said, not taking his gaze off of the captain, which was beginning to make even Spock uncomfortable. His intentions for the captain were unclear, but they were not innocent.

“This way,” Merik flicked his head arrogantly. “Your…” he paused, looking at the stoic Vulcan and the blank doctor, “friends, too.”

“You have a lot to explain,” the captain snapped as he passed the former captain of the merchant ship the SS Beagle.

“I have no need to explain anything to you.”

The captain’s lip twitched in displeasure as the group followed the man. They were led to a lavishly decorated chamber when Claudius Marcus turned on them. “You must be a Vulcan.”

“You know about Vulcans?” Captain Kirk demanded.

“He knows everything, Kirk,” Merik said smugly when Claudius Marcus stepped forward and looked Spock up and down.

“From what I’ve heard, I’d like to have fifty of you,” although Spock was unclear about certain aspects of human sexuality, it was quite obvious what the man’s intentions were, “for my arena,” he added, almost as an afterthought.

“And I believe this man is the ship’s surgeon,” Merik seemed to want Claudius’s attention back. Fascinating. “Wish we could let him loose in our hospitals. Our medicine would improve greatly with what he can teach us,” it was quite apparent Merik liked the position he held – superior power to the ship’s crew in front of him, and superior knowledge to the Roman in the room.

“Oh, I’d doubt that,” a smirk appeared on the doctor’s lips and his southern drawl became dangerously thick, “I’ve always been a proponent of old fashioned medicine.”

“Come, let’s eat,” Claudius sat down at the dining table in the room and the rest of the men joined him. “Try some of the sparrow. It’s delicious,” he said, plucking a piece from a plate a rather attractive slave brought forth. Spock noted the strong looks the captain was giving the female. It was a look he gave many of the females on the Enterprise. “Lovely thing, isn’t she?” Claudius commented, after noticing the captain’s distraction. He smirked appreciatively and grabbed the female’s bottom.

“She’s a slave?” The captain inquired as the woman moved to serve Merik.

“Oh yes. If you cooperate with me, captain, you could perhaps…have her,” Claudius offered.

“Cooperate with you? What do you mean?”

“You are going to beam down your crew,” Merik said smugly, “the proconsul does not wish for his planet to be…contaminated.”

“Do you really think I can be convinced to beam down my entire crew?”

“Oh, captain,” Claudius said, his eyes predatory once again, “I believe you would do anything not to see your two most important crew members put to death.”

“They can be replaced,” Captain Kirk said curtly, with complete sincerity.

“And you would lose a first officer who is content with his position and has no desire to take your place. Am I right, Mr. Spock?”

“You are quite correct, sir,” Spock replied to the proconsul.

The doctor’s dark gaze fell on the Vulcan. “Must you always be so honest?” He said slowly and Spock shrugged in response.

“I will not beam my crew down here, you flabby piece of shit,” Captain Kirk reiterated and the proconsul slammed his hand on the table.

“Take them back to their cell and prepare them for the games!”

The armed guards aimed their guns at the trio clad in grey and escorted them from the lavish room.

That evening they were escorted to what looked like a television studio. Spock and McCoy were separated from the captain and given swords and shields, but no other forms of defense. As they walked into the sharp lighting of the studio, in front of the cameras, Spock saw the captain. He was chained and seated between Merik and Claudius Marcus, whose gaze was once again on him.

Two guards in the attire of traditional Roman soldiers had their guns pointed at them as an announcer behind the camera relayed their situation to the at-home audience.

“Victory or death?”

Two gladiators appeared on the opposite side of the room to the sound of manufactured cheers. One of the men dashed for Spock, who defended himself quite well. He anticipated the man’s moves, quickly blocking each one. He was not one for unnecessary violence – it created quite a mess and usually preferred to leave the violence to his human peers. Through his dodging, he noticed Doctor McCoy attempting to block his attacker. He was holding the sword incorrectly – more like a medical syringe than a sword.

While most of the members of the ISS Enterprise were adept at sword-fighting, the doctor was notoriously poor at it. His dangerous reputation resulted from the power he held on the ship – even over the captain – as the chief medical officer. He knew every man’s weakness, he was there to witness each man’s most vulnerable times, and could easily kill without being detected. At first, the men took advantage of the doctor’s reputation for poor fighting skills, but many men began dying mysteriously. When this did not deter everyone, the doctor had taken to torture and medical experiments, something he was quite good at. Often, he asked for prisoners of the ISS Enterprise’s captured planets. He was particularly fond of dissecting alien species. Doctor McCoy, well known to be xenophobic, took pleasure in physically mutilating alien species to look human, even going so far as to cut them open and rearranging their organs in their “proper” place. Spock often found the good doctor eyeing him, staring at his ears, staring at his dark green blood whenever it appeared, as if imagining what it would be like to draw his scalpel across him, and rearrange the alien to look more human. Although Spock was loathe to admit it, being in the doctor’s care was the closest he felt he could come to feeling actual fear.

“At least defend yourself!” The doctor’s combatant shouted.

“I am!” The doctor hissed angrily, almost under his breath, but Spock’s sensitive hearing picked it up. Spock also heard a coercive conversation between the captain and his captors, trying to convince the captain to cooperate, but the captain remained smug and relaxed.

“Proconsul, in some parts of the galaxy I have seen forms of entertainment that make this look like a folk dance,” judging from the captain’s tone, he was enjoying seeing the two biggest threats to his captaincy and his own health forced to fight for their lives.

“Do you need assistance, doctor?” Spock called over the shoulder of his offender.

“Whatever gave you that idea?” Once again, this was said quietly, as if the doctor didn’t expect anyone to hear him. The doctor was struggling to get back to his feet as the man brutally attacked him. He was on the ground, holding his shield over himself protectively. “He claims to be logical. Most illogical question I’ve ever heard in my life,” he was muttering angrily to himself. When the doctor’s sword was knocked out of his hand, Spock quickly disposed of the man battling him, with a quick thrust through the gut, and jogged to the doctor, eliminating the gladiator above him with a quick and efficient slice of the throat.

Spock and the doctor were captured by the guards once again and the proconsul asked for Merik’s opinion on the fate of the two. When Merik floundered, he turned to the captain, who remained silent, with a smug smirk on his face.

Claudius flicked his wrist and Spock and the doctor were escorted rather roughly to the cell. Spock continuously tested for weaknesses in the cell until the doctor decided to speak. “Angry, Mr. Spock? Or…frustrated, perhaps?”

That was another feature of the doctor: he always seemed to be trying to find some sort of humanity within the Vulcan. “Such emotions are foreign to me, doctor. I was merely testing the strength of the door.” Perhaps the doctor was convinced he could begin by changing the Vulcan mentally before getting his scalpel on him.

“For the tenth time,” Doctor McCoy replied smugly. Mr. Spock chose to ignore him and continued to pry at the door, pulling at the screws that held it into the wall.

“Spock,” the Vulcan looked up to see the doctor standing quite close to him, where he had been lounging against the wall previously. Spock stood to face the doctor – he only was a few inches taller than the doctor, though the doctor’s power could practically be felt standing so near to him. Not necessarily strength, but the power of fear was significantly stronger. “Spock, I know we have our disagreements,” his tone was smooth and light, which made Spock unsure of his intentions. Often Spock had heard him take this tone with his victims, when he was taunting them, reveling in his power over them. “Maybe they’re jokes…hell, we don’t even know ourselves,” he was still speaking with that slightly higher than normal tone that alerted Spock to a real danger from the man beside him.

“Doctor,” Spock interrupted quickly, hoping to head off whatever was on the doctor’s mind, “will you please be brief? I’m trying to determine a means of escape.”

“Well,” the doctor walked behind him now, as Spock continued testing the door. Despite the fact Spock could not see him, he could not escape the illogical delusion that he could feel those haunting blue eyes on him, “You saved my life in the arena.”

“Yes, that is quite true,” Spock’s was certain of that fact. What he wasn’t certain of was the doctor’s intention.

“I’m trying to thank you,” McCoy’s breath was on Spock’s neck, “you pointed-eared hobgoblin,” a finger ran over the tip of Spock’s ear and the Vulcan quickly turned on the human behind him. Hopefully the confusion didn’t register on his face. The doctor took another menacing step closer, but Spock did not move.

Spock did not appreciate the overbearing doctor and decided the best course of action was to assert himself and not let the doctor attempt to intimidate him, not that he could be intimidated. However, he did recognize another’s power to do harm to him. “Ah yes, humans have the emotional need to express gratitude. You’re welcome, I believe, is the correct response. However, doctor, you must remember that I’m entirely motivated by logic. The loss of the ship’s surgeon, whatever I may think of his relative skills, would mean a reduction in the efficiency of the Enterprise-” Spock was grabbed by the back of his shirt and shoved against the stone wall. McCoy’s face was only inches from Spock’s own.

“I know why you’re not afraid to die, Spock,” those piercing blue eyes were boring into him, his voice as calm as ever. “You’re more afraid of living. Each day you stay alive is one more day you might slip…” his grip tightened on Spock’s shirt and his Southern drawl crept back into his speech, “and let your human half peek out,” Spock was unsure of how to respond, he felt like those eyes were holding him in place. Spock, logically, chose to turn away from the doctor’s heavily scarred face. The doctor seemed to take this movement as affirmation. “That’s it, isn’t it? Insecurity,” he practically whispered now, “why, you wouldn’t know what to do with a real, genuine, raw feeling.”

“Really, doctor?”

This seemed to cause the doctor to take a step back. He was searching Spock’s face now, and remained silent as he returned to lounging against the wall.

The captain found them in the cell later. He didn’t explain much, but he had one of the machine guns and bragged about how he had banged the slave girl. He shot the guards that came in his way and had the three of them beamed aboard. When Spock asked how the captain had acquired the gun and the communicator, he simply responded that he “had his ways” with a wicked gleam in his eyes.


	2. Leave Shore

The ISS Enterprise found a planet in the Omicron Delta region not long after. After some rather interesting events involving a rabbit, a landing party was beamed down. The landing party experienced similar strange occurrences and Spock finally decided to beam down after the ship had difficulties with the transporter and communications.

When he beamed down, he found Sulu preoccupied with a samurai and Kirk with a woman…what else? He ignored the battle scene and the sex scene in close proximity and chose to find the other members of the landing party – to assert that the landing party was still intact. As he walked, he mulled over the possibilities – the woman certainly seemed real enough to the captain, and Sulu certainly thought the samurai to be real. “Yeoman, why are you wearing such attire?” Spock came across the doctor with Yeoman Barrows, a notoriously promiscuous woman. She was dressed in a rather low cut dress that made her look like a fairy tale princess from Earth. The doctor seemed particularly interested in the yeoman.

“Doctor, where are the others?” Spock addressed the doctor this time, hoping to gain his attention.

“I don’t know,” he drawled and then waved his hand, “around.”

Spock blinked slowly and walked away, raising an eyebrow.

“Y’know, yeoman, I’ve always said there’s nothing like the warmth of a redblooded human woman to keep you company,” McCoy was drawling, and Spock didn’t often feel displeasure with any of his Vulcanian features, but he rather wished he did not have such sharp hearing.

Spock ran into the doctor later, and watched him stand his ground as a black knight raced toward him with his lance. Before anyone could assist the doctor, although Spock wasn’t quite sure anyone would, the lance had had run him through. Spock and Kirk rushed forward, as did the Yeoman, who looked over the doctor with emotional detachment. “What a fool.”

Spock’s hand twitched and he almost grabbed the woman by the throat, but instead, he pinched her shoulder and she fell to the ground. The captain looked at him curiously. “She talks too much, and I must maintain concentration in order to figure out what has happened to the doctor.”

“Well, he’s dead, Spock. I don’t imagine you can do much,” the captain was smirking, but Spock raised his eyebrow.

“Do you wish for the same to happen to you? I certainly do not. If we do not discover what is occurring here, we may be the next victims.”

“I still don’t see why you had to knock out Yeoman Barrows for it. Does she annoy you, Spock?”

“I do not feel annoyance, captain. However, I believe she would be in need of consolation when she returns to consciousness.”

The captain took the bait and became less interested in Spock’s actions and more interested in the unconscious woman.

It did not take long for Spock to ascertain the nature of the planet, although the captain took credit for the idea. It was, essentially, a playground. It conjured up whatever one could think of. McCoy was actually not harmed, as nothing that happened on the planet was permanent. He reappeared with two scantily clad women, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. At this sight, Spock decided to leave the planet as soon as possible. He spent much of the shore leave days on the ship. When shore leave was ending, Spock beamed back down the planet, occasionally spotting a fellow crew member involved in sexual or violent liaisons, sometimes both. It was night on the planet, almost inviting these occurrences, as if to say one could use the dark as cover and get away with whatever one wished. However, Spock was drawn to an interesting structure – someone had actually gone to the effort of imagining up a building. Drawn by a curiosity, Spock made his way over to the drab gray building, but could not see inside. There was a light somewhere within it and Spock slowly opened the creaky door. Fascinating. Someone had gone to enough effort to even imagine a creak in the door. Spock clasped his hands behind his back and followed a long hallway, lit only with a few blinking lights. He raised an eyebrow and noticed a light was coming from a room at the end of the hallway. The door was slightly ajar and Spock could hear the doctor talking. “Spock, how interesting to see you here…in my humble imaginings.” Spock thought the man had somehow seen him, but was surprised to hear his own voice.

“Doctor, I am only here because you wished me here.”

“So you are,” the doctor’s voice had taken on its light tone reserved for his victims.

“Doctor McCoy, are you simply going to walk circles around me or am I here for a reason?” Spock heard his voice say. Although he was not one for spying, he did not announce his presence, and looked through the cracked door.

The doctor was there in full medical garb – even with his lab coat, standing uncomfortably close to his alternate self, who looked rather normal in his usual uniform.

“Oh, you’re here for a reason,” Doctor McCoy said and patted Spock on the shoulder. The other Spock just looked down at the hand with disinterest, although, as Spock would be, also appeared confused by the interaction. “Now you lay down on that table,” the doctor indicated a medical table that appeared to be stained with blood.

“Why, doctor?”

“Why, for your checkup!” The doctor smiled, but his expression suddenly changed when Spock didn’t move and shoved him forward. “You’d better do as I say, you Vulcan half breed.”

The other Spock obeyed and lay down on the table. The doctor pulled a scalpel from a rickety table. It looked old, used, and possibly rusted. The doctor slid the scalpel under the other Spock’s standard issue uniform and drew it straight down, splitting the uniform down the middle and exposing Spock’s chest.

“Doctor McCoy, if you wished me to remove my uniform, I could have done it for you.”

“I prefer doing it this way,” the doctor drawled and ran his hand down the alternate Spock’s chest. The real Spock surmised that he was witnessing one of Doctor McCoy’s alien dissections, perhaps what he’d wanted to perform on Spock for quite a while. Spock did not care to see one of these dissections, especially being performed on himself, but he was rather interested in what was happening. He was also rather impressed with the caretaker’s manufacturing of this other Spock. It was astounding how much he acted like the real Mr. Spock, who would have responded almost verbatim as the other Spock.

“Why would you prefer removing my uniform in this manner? It is certainly less efficient and ruins one of my uniforms.”

“You know,” the doctor leaned forward, sliding his scalpel against the Vulcan’s skin, “the captain hates it when you talk too much. But me, I find I quite like it.”

“I do not understand.”

“No, I suppose you don’t,” Doctor McCoy said, but didn’t bother to explain. “You know, I always thought my obsession with you was that I’d never dissected a Vulcan before. But I did…it wasn’t at all satisfying. Although I did like all the green blood on my hands…” he trailed off, but regained himself quickly. “No, no, no, I knew it had to be you. If you would just hold still, Spock.”

The real Spock turned away from the scene with a raised eyebrow as the doctor’s scalpel pressed against his alternate self’s skin. Fascinating was barely a word to describe it.


	3. What Are Hollow Worlds Made Of?

“Xena-what what?” Captain Kirk leaned against the desk in the doctor’s office.

“Xenopolycythemia,” Spock corrected the captain.

The doctor folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. “No cure. And I’ll die within a year. I figured you should call up for another medical officer.”

“I hate new recruits,” the captain grumbled.

“Just figured I’d let you know, now if you would,” the doctor stood and pointed towards the door.

“Bones, you’re telling me you’re dying,” the captain said incredulously.

“Yes, Jim.”

“But only to make sure I can get you a replacement.”

“Captain…Jim, I don’t want a big deal made, and if it pleases the captain and his first officer, I would rather no one know about it.”

“I have no reason to tell anyone,” Spock said simply.

“Spock, leave,” the captain snapped and Spock tilted his head as he took his leave.

Soon enough, the ship was on a mission to find the source of a missile attack. The captain took it as a personal attack and would not allow the culprits to “get away with attacking his ship.” They discovered a spaceship disguised as an asteroid, and beamed down to the surface. The doctor insisted on going with them, and Captain Kirk agreed, though Spock was unsure as to why. Why did the doctor wish to come with them? And even more importantly, why did the captain agree?

When they beamed down to the planet, they were attacked by men with swords. All of them were easily disposed of, but the woman with them was not killed. She claimed she could tell them about the asteroid and the doctor talked the captain down from killing her. Spock was…peeved by this, but he could not figure out why. These unknowns were becoming particularly problematic.

The woman, Spock knew she was named Natira, but did not wish to address her as such, was a priestess of a multi-generational ship that lived inside of the asteroid. The trio was rendered unconscious by what was explained as the “oracle” when they reached the ship below. Captain Kirk was positively seething at the woman’s treachery, but the doctor was unconscious on a couch in the room that was their prison.

He was eventually revived and that woman appeared almost instantaneously. She seemed particularly fond of the doctor, and the doctor responded to her positively. Spock would tell anyone that this did not bother him as he did not feel emotions, but the now mangled arms of the chair he’d been sitting in would beg to differ.

Spock could practically feel his blood pumping when that woman admitted that not only did she love the doctor, but she wished for McCoy to stay on the ship as her mate. What really drove Spock mad, if he could go mad, of course, was that the doctor agreed. The doctor would never agree to something of that sort.

“Doctor, I must inquire about your rash decision to remain on this doomed ship.”

“You must inquire Spock, but I’m not required to answer.”

“Doctor,” Spock insisted, but McCoy ignored him.

“Not right now, Spock!” McCoy snapped at the Vulcan.

Spock and Kirk snuck into the Oracle’s temple. Spock suspected it was a computer and not a divine being. The two were once again knocked unconscious by the Oracle and were arrested and sentenced to death, but not before Spock heard the Oracle give… that woman permission to marry the doctor.

The two managed to wriggle out of their fate, but Doctor McCoy did not. The doctor was acting strangely – accepting an instrument of obedience, accepting marriage to a strange woman, and acting acquiescent during all of it. While the captain told Spock to let it be, he simply could not. He returned to the ship without permission of the captain and pinched McCoy before dragging him back to the ship. He removed the instrument of obedience and returned the doctor to his quarters just as they destroyed the ship. Spock watched with some satisfaction, something he did not often indulge in, as he watched it disintegrate, knowing that woman had been aboard.

“Spock!” The captain knew he was the one who had brought the doctor on the ship.

“Spock!” He heard another shout as both the doctor and the captain appeared on the nearly deserted bridge during the late shift.

“Why are you shouting, gentlemen?”

“Spock, you brought McCoy aboard when you knew he wanted to stay on the planet! I should send you to the booth for disobeying my orders not to beam down!”

“I wanted to stay there, Spock! I’ll cut those ears off and wear ‘em as decoration!”

“Gentlemen, please. I merely acted upon some new information I discovered. The Fabrini people of that vessel were highly advanced. They have the cure for xenopolycythemia. I had deduced the doctor was acting more irrationally than usual because he expected to die soon, and I have come to notice that humans fear the thought of death. So, I decided to act for him.”

“You disobeyed me!”

“A cure?”

“Captain, I will escort myself to the agony booth, if that is what you wish.”

The captain sighed and shook his head. “You’re no fun, Spock.”

“I do not try to be. Now, Doctor, you will escort me to sick bay and I shall bring up the file for the cure on the computer.”

“You’re not pulling my leg?” McCoy asked suspiciously as they stepped onto the turbolift.

“Doctor, I do not understand why you would expect me to take such an action.”

“Uh-huh,” the doctor said, seeming to examine Spock.

“Doctor,” Spock began after a long silence, just after entering sick bay, “I do have one inquiry.”

“What is that?” McCoy said, staring at the screen as Spock brought up the Fabrini cure.

“I was wondering why you pursued such a relationship with Natira?”

The doctor looked up. “Are you concerned about the relationship level or who it was with?”

“Both, doctor. Your decision was most illogical.”

“Was it, now? Well, Spock, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were jealous.”

“Well, it certainly is good that you know better, doctor.”


	4. Alexander's Stepchildren

Doctor McCoy and Captain Kirk had beamed down to an unknown planet, although Spock could tell something was wrong almost immediately. The captain’s communications were mysterious, and after a while, he lost contact with the captain. However, Spock was not particularly concerned – there was only a 15.6% chance the captain’s life was in danger, while on the ship, that number was 72.1%. Spock sat in the captain’s chair with his fingers steepled, waiting for communication to be reestablished with the captain. Finally, the captain ordered for a beam up. Spock joined Mr. Scott in the transporter room. The captain and the doctor materialized, both wearing smug smirks on their faces.

“Captain, would you explain what happened on the planet’s surface?”

“No, Spock, I don’t think I will,” the Captain strode past Spock, who quirked his eyebrow in surprise.

“Why don’t you meet me in Sickbay in, oh…say…twenty-two point eight minutes,” Spock knew the doctor was attempting to tease him, of course, “and I’ll explain.”

Spock arrived in Sickbay in exactly twenty-two point eight minutes. McCoy smirked when he saw him, “Well, I’ll be damned, Spock.”

Spock looked around the messy, darkened Sickbay before cocking an eyebrow at Doctor McCoy. “Doctor, would you explain what occurred on the planet’s surface?”

“How about I show you, Spock?” The doctor raised his arm and Spock felt a strange tugging on his body. He started walking toward a biobed. Spock attempted to resist, but his body wouldn’t respond.

“Doctor, what are you doing?”

“Enjoying myself, Mr. Spock,” the doctor smirked and Spock lay on the bed. The restraining straps flew around Spock’s arms. Spock tugged against them and Doctor McCoy folded his arms over his chest. “You can try to get away, Spock, but those are reinforced to hold Vulcans.”

Knowing the doctor was fully capable of lying, Spock proceeded to test the bonds. However, even if he were to break free, whatever power the doctor now had would prevent his escape. Spock ceased to strain against his bonds and noticed the doctor watching him closely. “Don’t stop, Spock. I love it when they struggle.”

“There is no use in struggling, doctor. It would simply waste energy.”

“Logical, Spock. Quite logical,” Doctor McCoy pulled his tool kit from his desk. “We’re going to play a game. Something to test that Vulcan memory of yours.”

“My memory, doctor?”

“Oh, yes. Every time you get a question right, I won’t hurt you. Every time you get one wrong, however,” he held up a scalpel, “we’ll see just how green that blood of yours is.”

“That hardly seems fair, doctor.”

“I’m not a fair man,” the doctor shrugged and tapped the scalpel against his cheek. “So, Spock. Where am I from?”

“Earth.”

“Be specific, Spock,” McCoy pressed the scalpel against Spock’s neck.

“I believe you come from Georgia, doctor.”

The doctor pursed his lips. “What’s my favorite drink?”

“That would be a mint julep.”

McCoy raised an eyebrow, “I’m impressed, Spock. Are you spying on me?”

“Not at all.”

“Okay, Spock, then maybe you can tell me what I did with my last shore leave.”

“That is not a question.”

“Answer anyways.”

“You performed a vivisection on me, doctor.”

Doctor McCoy’s eyes widened, clearly shocked, and dropped the scalpel from Spock’s neck.

“Is that what you are planning on now, Doctor McCoy?” Spock raised an eyebrow, looking the doctor in the eyes.

It took a moment, but the doctor regained his composure. “Actually, Spock,” he leaned over the bed, “I discovered that dissecting you just wasn’t satisfying. It wasn’t what I wanted. Fucking you was nice, but that wasn’t what I wanted, either.” The straps holding Spock to the bed flew off and he sat up on the bed.

“Well, then, Doctor McCoy, what is it you want?”

“You, Spock. All of you,” McCoy slammed his lips against Spock’s so hard, Spock’s teeth ached.

When McCoy pulled away, Spock quirked an eyebrow and with a quick, “fascinating,” Spock moved in for another kiss.


End file.
